The Best 5 Amazon Echo Alternatives

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Since the announcement of launching, Amazon Echo has created a huge buzz in the tech world. Many homes have started to use the device as the highlighter of their smart homes. And with the “Alexa” app this smart speaker brings a smart solution for your home. Streaming free music, using radio, controlling your smart home, this device is a compact package. Meanwhile, we all have different tastes and desires about our home appliances.

Although Amazon Echo is a really great piece of device, but there are other Amazon Echo alternatives that you should give a look before going straight to the Amazon Echo. They are similar to Amazon Echo, but more affordable, portable and stylish.

Google Home

The Google Home is one of the best Echo alternatives there is. With its incredibly smart speaker pack and voice recognition quality it can put up a great fight against Amazon Echo. Powered by Google assistant, you can use this device to set up alarm, stream music services like Google play music, Spotify etc. The voice recognition quality and sound quality are even better than Amazon Echo. This device is packed with quite a lot of tricks. As for the design, Google Home is much sleeker. It blends in with the any kind of surroundings, making it the perfect match for your taste.

It costs only $129 which is far less then Amazon Echo. Considering everything, as far as roommates go, Google home will the best you’ll ever have. The smart artificial intelligence, Google Assistant, makes your life easier than making it rather difficult.

Pros:

The Base is customizable.

Design is good looking, blends anywhere at home.

Understanding, can answer a lot of questions.

Sound quality is good.

Smaller than Amazon Echo.

Cheaper than Amazon Echo.

Cons:

Volume control is difficult.

Its hearing capability is not that good. Phrasing needs to be precise.

Non Google users face difficulty handling.

Doesn’t provide good privacy.

Doesn’t have Bluetooth.

ivee

This speaker looks as cool as its name is. At first sight, you won’t believe that it’s a speaker, because of its unique design. Kind of like Amazon Echo, this Echo alternative can control your smart home by connecting with devices from Smart Things, Nest, Logitech Harmony, Philips Hue and many more. Another plus point of ivee is that it’s capability of listening up to 15 feet away, which means you don’t have to stay close range to give any commands. This feature is ensured as it comes with two far-field microphones. Although Amazon Echo’s seven far-field microphones are far better than ivee’s but it still makes a great alternative.

Much cheaper than Amazon Echo it only costs $99.You can connect it to any stereo system as it comes with an audio port with volume adjustment. The touch control knob on top lets you to turn on ivee with a simple touch. Amazon Echo lacks these features which makes ivee a great alternative Echo.

Pros:

Open API allowing open ecosystem.

Supports third party devices.

Integration with third party apps.

Emergency services.

Hardware is accessible.

Multiple voices and different accents are supported.

Cons:

Doesn’t have that much third party developer’s support.

It hasn’t hit the market yet.

Mycroft

Mycroft is a unique piece of Echo alternative. It’s built on Raspberry pi and Arduino instead of propriety hardware. The natural language processing of the device makes it easier to understand your commands and perform the actions. By connecting it to your home Wi-Fi it integrates with any smart home devices such as, Nest, Philips Hue, Smart Things, Belkin WeMo and many more. This makes it easier for you to control your smart home. The software is powered by Snappy, a minimalist Linux OS. It has other great features such as posting updates on social media, Printing files on 3D printer and many more which the other smart speaker lags.

The device is capable of running apps without any extra fuss such as Netflix, Spotify, YouTube and more. It also has integrated speaker that makes it capable of playing music. Mycroft is an open platform device, which gives it option for its ability to grow more with time.

Pros:

Affordable price.

Open source AI.

Can post in social media.

Can create voice channel between two units, can be used at intercom.

Cons:

Sound quality is not enough.

Design is not attractive.

Cubic

The cubic is sure to blow up your mind when it hits the market. This device is able to do varieties of tasks that the other speakers lag. You will be able to order food, look up television schedule, stream music along with controlling your smart home devices. The integrated mobile app will assist in giving you directions, doling out parking reminders and what not. As the pre-release reviews are positive, it will surely bring a great challenge for the Amazon Echo once it’s released.

The power badge and cubic app are said to cost $49. The home cube will cost $195.the entire Cubic ecosystem is said to cost,$199 only for the 1st 100 people, $249 for second 200 people and for everyone else $289. As, it hasn’t been released yet , the costing can’t be assured.

Pros:

Provides natural conversation.

Can recognize your voice from far away(25 feet)

Can be used as personal DJ.

Provides better security.

Cons:

Cons are not known as it hasn’t been released yet.

Lenovo Smart Assistant

Collaborating with Amazon, Lenovo is entering the world of smart home devices with their Lenovo Smart Assistant. The smart speaker has better sound quality as it is in collaboration with Harman Kardon, accompany known for their excellent sound quality. The speaker will be launched in around May, 2017. The normal version will cost around $130 and the upgraded version will cost around $179. The upgraded version has an additional sound cavity for better sound performance. It also comes with an 8 far-field 360 degree microphones which far better than Amazon Echo. It also includes noise suppression, and acoustic echo cancellation that makes it more capable of hearing your commands.

Integrated with your other smart home appliances, you can control them easily. Lenovo Smart Assistant brings enhanced quality of features of Amazon Echo with better sound quality, making it the best alternative Echo.

Pros:

Excellent sound quality.

Available in two editions.

Comes with full volume control unlike Amazon Echo.

Has better voice recognition than Amazon Echo.

Cons:

The upgraded version has the same price as Amazon Echo.

Not a portable device.

Can only answer factual questions.

Maybe Amazon Echo is just not your type or it’s too pricy, whatever the cause you can easily choose an Echo alternative from the list that best suits you. There are various types and features of the Echo alternatives.Some are cheaper and some are Pricy.Whatever your demands are all the alternatives are capable of doing controlling basic smart home devices. Some have extensive features that make them more attractive than the rest. No matter what type of Alternative Echo you are looking for you can find them on the list of top five.